Warning: There will be no quick and easy
sex, so if that’s what you’re lookin’ for, well, keep going.
There will be scenes with sexual content later down the road, and yes, it will
be gay. So if that doesn’t float your boat go eat your hat.

CHAPTER 4

1

Blake watched as the streetlights glinted off of the water
in the river. Unable to sleep and unwilling to let Khamon put him out, he
decided to take a walk, eventually ending up by the river. It was a place he
often went to think things over. The sound and sight of the moving water gave
him comfort and the chilling darkness of the night made him feel at peace.

::I remember this
feeling.::

What
feeling?

::The feeling you have. It is like traveling in space.::

Space? Khamon had been
reluctant to share about his race, or where he had come from. It had taken
several days for them to warm up to each other, and several more days of
constant reassurance that they were not going to be approached again by Peor or his minions. Still, Khamon felt it was smart for
them to relocate.

::It is a calm place. A vast night that sills the soul.::

Blake frowned. Khamon often spoke in such a way. It
conflicted wit the otherwise stiff patterns of speech and methodical thinking.
>From what he could gather, Khamon and his ‘people’ we a race of
conquers, holding sway on a network of several systems. The simbiont was very
vague and evasive enough that Blake let it go for the time being. He would ask
later when they were more comfortable for each other.

You believe in the existence of a soul,
Khamon? Blake asked.

::There is a soul
in all things, Blake. In that rock, in that water, in the
air. All things have a soul, or else they could not be realized into
this world.::

Blake mulled this over. The simbiont seemed oddly religious
and philosophical. He had expected an alien race to have risen above such
things.

::Just because we
are more advanced in certain ways, does not mean we are better. There is just
as much war and death on my world as there is yours.::

So
things are the same everywhere. Blake
thought to himself. Khamon did not reply, but instead watched the water.

::It is late. We
should return.::

Blake sighed. He could watched the
river all night.

::JarHavaedus.::

What?

::It is the name of one of the Crown Jewels. The Nine Planets of our world. It is an ocean.::

As Blake thought of a response, Khamon plucked the thought
from his brain.

::Ah. I understand.::

‘Hey, you!’ The voice was gruff. Blake stopped and turned. Standing
behind him were three rough looking men. One hand a bandana on his head. They
all wore wide grins.

‘Now
what’s a pretty boy like you doin’ out
here all alone?’ The bandana wearing thug spoke.

Blake
looked around. The roads by the river were usually deserted at night. The only thing close to the water were storage shacks and processing
plants. He doubted anyone could hear him if he shouted as loud as he could.

::There is no
need.::

He
felt a tug. His eyes were drawn to the pile of rubbish to his left.

What about it?

::Allow your awareness to expand.::

Blake steeled himself. This was an exercise they had been
practicing for the past few weeks with only moderate success. It always felt
like pushing through a soap bubble to Blake.

Suddenly
he was aware of his shoes, the air the ground. Feeling every
particle, every ounce. Then as quickly as it began, it collapsed. He was
about to speak to Khamon, but suddenly the simbiont pushed his awareness out
and Blake knew what Khamon wanted.

‘What the--!’ Before any of the thugs could
move, Blake dove into the garbage pile. They rushed over, surrounding him.

The
first thug feel as Blake dealt a blow to his head. Not enough to kill, but
enough to knock him unconscious.

‘Fuck!’
One of the thugs backed off when he say Blake holding
the bent metal pipe in his hands, wielding it like a sword.

The
dark-haired man advanced methodically. The movements were short and quick. The
man in front of him pulled a knife. Blake tapped it out of his hand before he
could even bring it up in threat. One quick pop to the head put his assailant
out of commission.

The
world slowed down as Blake turned to the third man.

The
would-be criminal was pulling a gun out of his jacket. The pistol was leveled
at him, ready to fire. More than twenty feet away, Blake was powerless. As the
bullet rushed towards him two things happened very suddenly: Khamon seized
complete control of his body, barely twisting him out of the way as the bullet
sunk into his shoulder, and some kind of invisible barrier was erected,
preventing the rest of the bullets from coming within five feet of him.

The
thug’s eyes bugged out of his head. He emptied another clip into the
strange barrier as he fled.

What... Blake struggled to remain aware
as his body stood, not obeying his commands.

::Sleep, Blake.::

Hearing Khamon’s voice,
Blake drifted off to sleep.

2

‘Dude!’ Blake awoke, bleary-eyed. He recognized
Jared’s voice.

‘Where?’ He asked, suddenly painfully aware that
his mouth was dry. His voice must’ve croaked, because soon a glass of
water was pressed to his lips.

‘what the hell happened?’ He could hear worry in his
friend’s voice. Slowly Blake looked around. Small room,
bed that was too small, posters of basketball and women with large breasts.
He was in Jared’s dorm room.

Blake
heaved a sigh. He became aware of the pain in his left shoulder. A makeshift
bandage covered it. He knew that when the cloth was removed there would be no
wound. Even now he felt Khamon dissolving the metal of the bullet and
assimilating it for whatever he did with that kind of stuff.

‘I
got jumped.’ Blake said. Jared went on for awhile, berating him for
putting up a struggle. Blake just nodded.

‘Well,
Rob said you’d be okay anyway.’

‘Rob?’
Blake’s interest stirred, along with another part of him.

Jared
grinned at his friend’s reaction. ‘Yeah, I didn’t know who
else to call, so I called him. Apparently he’s pre-med or
something.’ Jared shrugged. Blake knew they shared a biology class, but
pre-med. That was news.

‘Did
he...’

‘Undress
you? Dude, weren’t you two in bed a week or so ago?’ Blake felt his
face flush.

‘Relax.
All he did was look at your shoulder. Pretty nasty if you ask me.’ Jared
said, wringing out a warm cloth.

‘You
know, most people would’ve called the police.’ Blake said. Jared
shrugged again.

‘I’m
not most people.’ He smiled. Then, before Blake could move, Jared’s
hand was pushing back the bandage on his shoulder. Khamon didn’t even
notice, he was so caught up in repairs.

::Then I trust him
as well.:: He felt the simbiont go back to his repairs.

Jared
was looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

‘Uh,
Jared...’

‘Yeah,
bud?’

‘I
have something to tell you.’ Blake swallowed.

The
Java Hutt was a small café off of the main
university avenue. Not classy, but relaxed and clean. They offered many
specialty coffees and s few smaller things to eat. Blake nursed a cup of hot
chocolate, slumping forward in his seat. It would have been much safer to talk
to his friend in private, but he just couldn’t take the awkwardness that
had rose between them after Jared’s confession.
An open invitation, Blake had never acted on it, being more of a bystander than
a participant. A wedge had been driven between them in the most uncomfortable
way.

Blake
was thankful that there weren’t many people at the Java Hutt on a Wednesday night.

He
watched Jared return with a hot coffee and a muffin.

‘So
what’s this big secret?’ Jared asked, eating his muffin. Blake felt
his stomach lurch. He could feel Jared’s eagerness, excitement. He rubbed
his palms on the legs of his jeans before taking a swig of the cocoa.

‘Well,
these past few weeks have been...different for me.’ Blake said. How do
you tell your best friend that you’re bonded with an alien simbiont? From
the beginning, he guessed.

‘But
you have to prove it to me. Prove that you’re not crazy, or this
isn’t a joke.’ Jared said, dropping his casual attitude.

‘Alright.’ Blake said, then
focused his attention on the table. He didn’t know what he was trying to
do, but he wanted it to be small, so other people wouldn’t notice. He
assumed it would be moving the salt shaker, or jostling the table. Instead, his
eyes widened in surprise as a miniature version of the force field popped up
between them.

Now
that he had a better chance to study it, it wasn’t quite invisible. A
rippling pond of clear force would be a more accurate way to describe it.
Jared’s mouth opened in shock. He looked to Blake’s face before
reaching out to touch it. Blake did the same. There was resistance. It buckled
and bend slightly as he pushed but he had the feeling
he could make it much firmer. Then, without another thought, it was gone. With
nothing between them, their hands met. Blake felt his cheeks burn and Jared
with drew his hand, looking a little flush himself.

Jared
was suddenly very interested in his coffee.

‘So
this...thing,’ He began.

‘Khamon.’

‘Khamon.’ Jared nodded. ‘You’re the
only one that can hear it?’

‘Kind of. Why?’ Blake said.

‘I
want to talk to it.’ Jared said quietly.

Khamon, are you listening? Blake asked.

::Yes.::

It
might be easier if you take over. Blake said,
taking a mental step back, at the same time forcing Khamon forward.

Jared
was instantly aware o the change. Blake’s eyes were no longer...Blake.
Something else was there. Even his mannerisms changed, along with his voice. It
was deeper, reminded the tall jock of a smooth bronze, wall.

‘Jared.
You wished to speak with me.’ Khamon said.

‘Where’d
Blake go?’ Jared asked, fighting the impulse to get up an
run, screaming.

‘Blake
is in here. He can hear everything we say.’ Khamon said.

‘It
doesn’t...hurt him?’ Jared asked.

‘No.
On the contrary I have enhanced several features of Blake’s physical and
mental being.’ Khamon said.

‘I’ve
noticed.’ Jared gave a smirk. He quickly wiped it off when he realized
that he wasn’t talking to Blake. Looking at Blake’s body (and Khamon’s), but not at Blake.

‘Um,
how does you being...in Blake affect him?’ Jared
asked, peeking around to make sure no one was watching.

‘It
is advantageous. As stated I have made modifications and enhancements as well
as repairs on his tissue which you witnessed earlier.’ Khamon said,
looking at the mug of hot chocolate in his hand.

‘No,
I mean, is he in danger?’

If
a simbiont could look uncomfortable, Jared suspected that this was how
they’d look.

‘He
will eventually be exposed to several dangerous elements due to my
bonding.’ Khamon said.

‘How long?’

‘I
do not know, but it is inevitable.’

‘You
better protect him.’ Jared said suddenly, his voice hard.

‘I
do not understand, to allow Blake harm would be to harm myself.’ The
simbiont said. Jared nodded.

‘Good, because if anything happens to him you’ll answer
to me.’

‘I
do not--‘ before Khamon could finish, Blake was
back.

Sorry, Khamon. I don’t want him
agitated. Blake said, knowing what the simbiont said would only frustrate
Jared.

‘Look,
maybe you should crash at my place. I mean, if these things are looking for you
they’re going to go straight to your place.’ Jared said.

Blake
shook his head. ‘I’ll be fine for now. I just need some
sleep.’

‘Alright. If you want to you know you can crash at my
place any time.’ Jared offered. Several images rushed through
Blake’s mind. The small room, the one bed, Jared’s naked back in
the shower rooms after practice.

‘Thanks.
I’ll see you later.’ Blake said, pulling his jacket on.

‘Yeah. Later.’ Jared said, head resting on his
elbow, staring out the window.

3

He
watched from the shadows of the trees as the young one made his way down the
street. He had witnessed the entire exchange between them at the small eating
place. His master had been right. He had not moved his location. All the easier
it would make his job.

It
would be best to strike when they were asleep. The young simbiont had not
reached maturity yet, and barely had a grasp of its abilities, acting mostly on
impulse and self defense. Still that could hamper his mission.

He
saw the black-haired one stop and talk to a taller one with brown hair. No
simbiont in him, he could be easily eliminated if he got in the way.

The
black one was hesitant. He could sense it. Suddenly the simbiont in him wheeled
around, searching.

::We are being
watched.:: Blake swallowed hard when Khamon spoke.

‘Any
plans?’ Rob asked. He had met him by chance. The pre-med student had come
to Jared’s dorm for a checkup and found the note they left. Blake filled
him in on his mugging situation. Rob said he would be fine, but he should go
see a doctor.

‘Not
that I’m aware of.’ Blake said, trying to split his attention
between the simbiont and the handsome man in front of him.

Are we in danger? Blake asked, suddenly
thinking of Rob.

::You are correct
in thinking that they would not hesitate to kill this one, Rob.::

‘Want
to come to a party? My friend, Lisa, is throwing one at her place. My date kinda stood me up.’ Rob flashed a charming smile.
‘I mean, you know, if you’re up for
it.’

‘Uh,
I’m kinda tired now Rob. You know, with the arm
and all.’ Blake said, anxious to get out of the med student’s
presence.

‘Okay.’
Blake said, giving his number as Rob entered it in his cell phone.

‘You
want mine?’ Rob asked.

‘Yeah, sure. But I don’t have a cell
phone.’ Blake said.

‘Paper?’ Rob asked, holding a pen. Blake held
out his forearm. Rob smiled and jotted his number down.

‘Thanks.
See you later.’ Blake said and started to walk away.

‘Hey.’
Rob called after him. Blake turned and paused. Rob didn’t speak for
several seconds.

‘You
look good tonight. I mean, for a guy that’s been shot and all.’ Rob
smiled.

‘Thanks.’
Blake said wit ha grin and before he could respond,
Rob was off.

A
few blocks down the road and he could feel Khamon searching around.

Still being followed?

::Yes. Discreetly.::

Blake took a turn down a dark alley, into a vacant lot
behind one of the older buildings just off of campus. Windows and doors had
been bolted and boarded. Fences had been put up to keep people out, but
teenagers always snuck in to tag the place.

Blake
ducked around a corner.

Where is he? Blake asked.

::I’ve lost
him.::

How
can you loose him? I thought you could sense him?

::There is a disturbance. It fogs my senses.::

Blake cursed. He spun around, trying to spot his follower. Nothing
stirred in the shadows.

I don’t see anything.

::RIGHT HERE!:: The strange
voice screamed in his head. Blake twisted to his left, barely missing being
grazed by the sharp blade. Before he could make another move, the blade was
suddenly falling onto him.

The
last thing that passed through his mind was the image of the ocean planet
Khamon had described.

Ah ha! Sorry to leave it there,
but that’s all the writing I have in me at the moment. Might not be any
chapters for a few days but I’ll see what I can manage.